


To Feel a Dragon’s Heart: Snapshots of GeMiTo

by elavoria



Series: To Feel a Dragon's Heart [1]
Category: Shadowrun
Genre: Ally Spirit, Collars, Dependency, Dominant/Submissive, Dragon & Human Interactions, Dragons, Elves, Empath, Empathic Bond, Established Relationship, F/M, Magic-Users, Master/Pet, Mature Love, Nonbinary Character, Other, Platonic Romance, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Shamanism, Spirits, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy, Waiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-24 20:49:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20020816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elavoria/pseuds/elavoria
Summary: What if Lofwyr had a telepathically- and empathically-linked elven pet? This is an account of before, during, and after the battle of GeMiTo as she and her ally spirit experienced it. I couldn’t help but include the runner I played in Dragonfall, too. :3Inspired by events as told in the 4E sourcebooks “The Clutch of Dragons” and “Storm Front”.





	To Feel a Dragon’s Heart: Snapshots of GeMiTo

5 November 2074. 5:30am. Saeder-Krupp Headquarters, Essen, Rhine-Ruhr Megaplex, German Alliance.

They stood on the rooftop in silence. Neither found it necessary to speak, either vocally or mentally, as they stared into each other’s eyes. Grey-blue met yellow-gold, each reflecting the other’s intensity. Lofwyr looked more solemn than usual in his black fatigues, and his harsh features were thrown into harsher relief by the roof’s white lighting. He may have dressed as a soldier, but his steel-grey hair—looking a blazing near-white—fell loosely to his chest. He would not be fighting as a human, after all. Ella was doing her best to keep her anxiety to a minimum, to be instead a source of light as befitted her idol, but she felt herself slipping. Without breaking her gaze, she reached out a hand and gently caressed the side of his face. She tried to smile at him, but it only lasted a moment before falling apart. A pulse of his affection flowed through her, calming her considerably; he shifted her hand down to his waist and pulled her close in a protective embrace. She nestled against him and held him tightly, her own love burning in her heart for him to feel.

After what felt like much longer than it probably was, she leaned back and looked once more into his deep-set eyes. His expression was difficult to read, but before long he wordlessly indicated what he wanted, and she kissed him tenderly. He cradled her head with one of his hands, pulling her still closer with his other. She felt his long nails pressing against her back, a sensation that she had come to associate with safety, and she melted in his arms. Minutes passed as they tasted each other with a quiet, almost desperate passion—at least, she felt desperate. Lofwyr seemed as composed as ever. At length he drew back and gave her a small smile, eyes glinting in the light.

“It is time,” he said aloud, precisely emphasizing each word.

She returned his smile as his low voice slowly washed over her. He managed to speak melodiously despite the brevity of his words and the gravity of the situation, a skill that she deeply appreciated.

He strode several meters away from her, then turned to face her again before beginning his transformation. She watched enraptured as his draconic form took shape. His scales—a lustrous panoply of gold, brass, copper, and bronze—gleamed against the dark morning sky, and her heart caught in admiration as the massive dragon’s wings unfurled in an elegant stretch.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how magnificent you are, mein Herr,” she said softly.

She gave him a genuinely happy smile as she walked to meet him, and her happiness was bolstered as she felt echoes of the pleasure her words had induced in him ripple through her. He tucked his wings neatly to his sides and lowered his head to her height as she approached. His eyes burned brightly as if made of molten gold; for the moment, their light seemed to reinforce her own. Her master was certainly worthy of terror, but she was unafraid. If anything, she was comforted by the sight of his true form: her nerves couldn’t withstand her awe, and she knew that he would never hurt her.

Gently, lovingly, she ran a hand along his jaw, then lightly kissed his snout. He exhaled, causing her hair and dress to billow out behind her. She laughed softly, and she could have sworn that he was smiling.

_“May your vengeance be swift,”_ she thought to him, caressing him where her hand still rested.

Lofwyr closed his eyes and lowered his head ever so slightly in response. After a last shared feeling of love, he backed out of reach, turned, and made his way to the edge of the roof, unfurling his wings and pausing for a moment before launching himself gracefully into the air. He circled above the tower once in farewell, then headed south toward GeMiTo. Toward his brother.

Ella’s hand moved to her neck as she watched him disappear into the darkness, absent-mindedly fingering the small golden scale set into the collar that marked her as Lofwyr’s property. Now that he had left, her anxiety was returning, and when he was out of sight, she climbed down the stairs to the private quarters that occupied the top several floors. His quarters, their quarters... her quarters. She spent much more time here than he did, as they were in agreement that she shouldn’t venture out frequently, and her desire to remain hidden away had only increased with the rise of violence over the last several years. She took a deep breath to calm herself as she waited for the door to recognize her biometrics, then stepped through into climate-controlled comfort. The door closed behind her with a secure but ominously decisive thud, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was somehow cutting her off from her master.

Once she had returned to the spacious central room, her eyes brightened slightly as they landed on the familiar figure that stood waiting for her.

“Starheart,” she said with a soft smile.

The greeting was unnecessary: her ally spirit was nearly always close at hand, though it felt polite to acknowledge them when they materialized. Their physical form was in many ways her mirror—they were both pale and elven with hair that fell to their mid-back, and they shared a fondness for wearing robes—but their differences were striking: Starheart’s skin was a subtle though unnatural golden hue, their hair was white to her blonde, and their eyes were a bright, piercing gold. Their physical form was also entirely neuter, which she had thought a fitting representation for such an otherworldly being.

“I thought I could be of more use on the physical plane for now,” they said as she approached. Their fine features settled into a slight frown as they looked her over, and they cupped her face with a delicate hand. “You need not worry, mein Liebling. In the thirty years you’ve lived with him, have you known him to start a fight he wasn’t sure of winning? He isn’t called Gold-Master without reason.”

“I know,” Ella said softly, letting her hand rest on top of theirs. “But...”

Her voice trailed, and she finished her thought mentally by sending them vague images of shadowrunners, mercenaries, and other dragons, frowning as she did so. She didn’t know just how they would assemble to storm Alamais’ compound, but she knew he had amassed an incredible amount of additional support. Even the charming runner—former runner, now—that she had met in ‘54 was there to provide her healing services. Starlight. She almost smiled at the thought of her friend—with a handle like that, was it any wonder they had gotten along so well?—but her worry for her was too overwhelming.

“It’ll be all right,” Starheart said soothingly. “If you won’t trust me about that, then trust him.”

Ella nodded silently. She cast her eyes about for something to distract herself with, but found nothing. It was much earlier than she would normally be awake, but she couldn’t have gone back to sleep if she had wanted to. Her spirit gently turned her face to look at them again, and she lost herself in the scintillating gold of their eyes for a moment.

“How about some tea?” they asked softly.

“Tea sounds lovely,” she agreed.

Soon they were both settled at the kitchen table with steaming mugs. Even though Starheart didn’t require sustenance, they enjoyed partaking of it every now and then, and they seemed intent on keeping her company. Ella contented herself with watching the swirling patterns of steam for a time, but eventually her brow furrowed.

_“What’s wrong?”_ Starheart’s thought-voice intoned with gentle concern.

“I had the dream again last night,” Ella said, a faraway look in her eyes as she needlessly played through it in her mind for her spirit to see: a pair of golden dragons battling in the sky followed by a burst of white light that expanded until it completely obscured the vision. She took a sip of tea, then continued pensively, “Exactly the same as before. I still don’t know what it means, but it worries me.”

“You told Gold-Master,” they said. A statement, not a question.

“Of course. I’ve let him know every time, not just the first. I wish Sun would provide more insight. It’s clearly Lofwyr and Alamais, but beyond that...”

In the silence that fell, Starheart reached across the table, took one of Ella’s hands in theirs, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“You’ve done all that you can,” they said. “All we can do now is wait.”

“I hate waiting,” she said with a hint of bitterness.

That was only half true, and Starheart knew it: it was the uncertainty that she hated. Ella had never been particularly impatient, but ever since she had started living with the great dragon, her patience had steadily increased as she adapted to his ways. The effect had only been magnified when he had entwined their souls in a ritual pact almost five years ago.

Ella sighed deeply and stared into her mug, resigning herself to the fact that only time would tell.

*

3:15pm.

The sun shaman looked with longing at the nearly-empty distant corner of the quarters that Lofwyr used in his true form, then gazed out the window at the world far beneath her. She wondered how many of the people that fell within her line of sight knew what was happening, and if they did, did they even care? With a sigh, she turned away from the window and resumed pacing the length of the living room. Starheart watched her impassively from an armchair, their hands folded neatly in their lap.

“You’re going to wear yourself out if you keep that up,” they observed softly.

Ella stopped and gave her spirit a pitiful look.

“What else can I do, mein Herz? It’s been... hours, and I haven’t heard anything from him. I haven’t felt anything, either, for that matter.”

“He has a battle to focus on,” Starheart admonished gently.

“I know, but his emotions usually provide a... low-level ambience for mine, and there’s been absolutely nothing. It’s as if he’s deliberately shut me out.”

Ella turned to the closest window and gently leaned against it. She heard her spirit rise and walk toward her, but she didn’t react until they rested a hand on her shoulder, at which point she let her posture slump.

“I miss him terribly,” she said softly. “I hope he’s all right.”

Starheart gently turned her around and pulled her close, running a soothing hand along her back. She let herself be held, and after a moment, pressed closer to them, enjoying the comfort.

“I’m sure he’s all right,” they assured her. “He probably wants to spare you as much of the horror of war as he can.”

Ella nodded against them in agreement.

“I’m sure you’re right. And I’m sure I’d know if something... happened.”

Despite her attempts at confidence, she instinctively nestled closer to her spirit at the thought. They stroked her hair almost absent-mindedly, lost in their own thoughts.

“I’m surprised you’re not wearing that shawl of yours,” they mused at length.

“Mm... It slipped my mind,” she admitted.

Starheart leaned back in alarm and cupped Ella’s face in their hands, forcing her to look at them, concern written clearly across their features. Their golden eyes pierced her grey-blue ones, and she got the distinct impression that they were staring straight into her soul.

“Starheart,” she whispered, blinking in surprise and confusion. “What...?”

“Your anxiety is far worse than I thought,” they said, “for you to have forgotten one of your most prized possessions. You masked it well.”

Even though she was being scolded, Ella couldn’t help but give her spirit a guilty smile; she could tell that they were impressed.

“I didn’t want to worry you—”

“My entire purpose is to take care of you,” they interrupted with what sounded like loving exasperation.

“You know that isn’t true,” she protested.

“It’s true enough,” they said softly, gently stroking her face. “Don’t do that again, meine liebe Herrin.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, genuinely apologetic. “I won’t.”

Ella dispelled her masking and took Starheart in her arms. They held each other tightly for a time, appreciating anew the physical contact. When they broke apart, Ella took her spirit by the hand and led them to the master bedroom that she shared with the great dragon.

She opened her antique wooden armoire and took an equally antique wooden chest from its top shelf, then set the chest on her dresser and ran a hand along its lid in admiration before opening it to reveal the gleaming treasure within. Her breath caught as her eyes fell upon it: no matter how many times she saw it, the shawl never lost its wonder: it was expertly crafted from hundreds of Lofwyr’s golden scales, naturally shed and freely given, and it shimmered with the slightest movement.

_“Lofwyr,”_ she thought to herself as she lightly traced her fingers along the scales, torn between intense love and intense worry. A shiver ran through her, accompanied by what felt like an echo of love. She wondered if he somehow knew, but his silence remained unbroken.

Ella was startled out of her reverie by Starheart placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she turned slightly to smile at them.

“I should have thought of this earlier,” she said, lifting the shawl from its chest. “It almost feels like a part of him is here with me when I wear it.”

She carefully draped the shawl around her and fastened it at her chest. The scales felt cool and smooth and comforting against her bare shoulders, and the gold shone brilliantly against her pale skin and white dress. She couldn’t help but smile at her reflection in the mirror above the dresser.

“He is always with you, Ella,” Starheart said softly, meeting her eyes in the mirror with an uncharacteristically solemn expression. “He may be silent now, but he has a part of your soul, and you have a part of his. You are inextricably bound to each other.”

The sun shaman nodded.

“You’re right, of course,” she said, turning to face them with a smile. “You usually are.”

*

9:40pm.

“How long can it take?”

Ella wasn’t expecting an answer, but she had to voice the question. She was leaning against Starheart on the living room sofa. They had both prepared for bed, but although she was weary from her worrying, her mind felt far from sleep.

“They are storming a great dragon’s fortress, mein Liebling,” Starheart said patiently. “There is much to be overcome, and I’m sure he did not start the fight as soon as he arrived.”

“You’re not worried?”

“About Gold-Master? No, but I’m worried about you.” When Ella remained silent, they continued, “I don’t recall seeing you eat anything to-day.”

“Ah... no,” she said sheepishly. “My appetite seems to have flown away with my lord. Don’t look at me like that; I cast a nutrition spell on myself earlier. I’m subsisting on mana, like you.”

They sat in silence for a time, appreciating the rhythm of each other’s bodies. The sun shaman was grateful for the company, but with her mental and emotional connection to Lofwyr seemingly severed, she still felt lonely.

“Do you doubt his abilities?” Starheart asked at length.

Although their tone was free from judgment, the question made her instinctively defensive, and she took a deep breath to calm herself.

“No, no. Of course not. I just hate the thought of him being in a position to be hurt. And there’s always the possibility that something could go horribly wrong, or something unexpected could happen... I won’t be able to relax until he’s home, safe and sound.”

They fell into silence again, and despite her mental desire to stay awake, she felt her body drifting to sleep.

“We should get you to bed,” Starheart said gently.

Ella murmured her agreement, and the pair slowly got up and made their way to the bedroom, turning off the lights as they went. After her spirit saw that she was settled comfortably with a reassuring nightlight, they sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked her face.

“Promise me you’ll try to rest,” they implored softly.

“I’ll try,” she said with a tired smile.

“Good.”

Starheart kissed her forehead lightly and made to leave, but they only managed to take a few steps before Ella’s voice called out behind them.

“You’re not staying here with me?”

Her spirit turned to face her, their golden eyes glowing slightly in the dim light.

“I wouldn’t want to infringe upon—”

“Mein Herz,” she said in a gentle scold. She propped herself up before continuing, “You know he doesn’t mind you sharing this bed.” She hesitated for a moment, then added mentally, _“You are, after all, an extension of me. Please?”_

The sun shaman refrained from giving Starheart a direct command; she took little pleasure in ordering her ally spirit around as if they were a servant. She felt a little guilty for reminding them of their place, but she was tired and didn’t want to be alone.

Starheart simply stared at her for a moment, then acquiesced silently and joined her under the covers, where they were soon comfortably entwined.

_“I love you,”_ Ella thought to them sleepily. _“I’m sorry.”_

_“I love you, too, and there will only be reason to be sorry if you don’t go to sleep.”_

_“At once, milord.”_

_“Ella.”_

_“You started it.”_

_“Hush. Sleep.”_

The sun shaman nestled closer to her spirit in response. Before long, she had succumbed to her exhaustion.

*

6 November 2074. 9:20am.

Ella was once again pacing along the living room wall, glancing out of windows as she passed them. She hugged her shawl against her, lightly running her fingers along her arms and appreciating how the scales adapted almost fluidly to her every movement. Eventually she stopped at a window and sighed. The physical reminder of Lofwyr provided some comfort, but it had been over twenty-four hours since her last contact with him, and every hour that passed added to her anxiety. She had managed to get some rest the night before, but only in intervals, and she was still weary.

Starheart was sitting in their preferred armchair. They had borrowed Ella’s PDA to read the morning’s news and anything else that caught their fancy. Every so often they reported aloud an item of particular interest, but Ella was too nervous to pay them more than half attention.

She gazed down upon the world outside. It was bright and calm and carrying on as usual, and although this sparked her indignance, she also felt a pang of envy that she immediately regretted. She sighed again and turned to resume her pacing, but she had hardly taken a step when several intense and unexpected things happened at once.

A blindingly bright white light obscured her vision, but before she had time to react to it, searing agony coursed through her. Unable to keep herself upright, she sank to her knees, gripping her sides. She could hear herself screaming, but she couldn’t stop; she had never felt such severe pain in her life. After a moment, the pain was almost eclipsed by anger—pure, unbridled rage that was also foreign to her. With a force of effort, she managed to clench her jaw shut. _“There wasn’t any pain in my dream,”_ she thought desperately as she clutched her sides, trying to keep her breathing regular. Agonizing pain. Blazing anger. And then, seething hatred. All three swirled violently within her as if they were fighting for dominance. She lifted her head slightly, and out of the corner of her eye, she finally noticed Starheart kneeling next to her. She didn’t need to be able to see clearly to tell that they were alert and alarmed, and although it took most of her willpower, she gave them a mental warning command to stay away.

She saw her spirit’s form shimmer and dissipate, no doubt to search the astral for any sign of hostile activity. An unnecessary precaution, but all the better; she was afraid of herself and what she might do in this state. She had enough presence of mind to know that what she was experiencing was the result of her empathic connection to Lofwyr, and Starheart would certainly recognize the source, but this was an unprecedented level of intensity, especially given the physical distance between them. And if she felt this strongly, then he—but she saw red as she was overwhelmed by another surge of rage and couldn’t concentrate. Helpless against the currents of pain and negativity, she sank further to the floor and curled into a ball.

After what felt like an unspeakably long time, the anger and hatred started to subside. She could have sworn she felt a moment of intense satisfaction before the emotions were entirely replaced by relief, and it was only the immediate dissipation of anything but the relief that told her it was her own.

Ella propped herself back to her knees but remained on the floor, breathing heavily as she recovered from the experience. Starheart materialized in front of her and knelt, taking her face in their hands and looking at her with no lack of concern.

“Empathic,” she reassured them.

She gave her spirit a weak smile that was quickly followed by a grimace. If it had been empathic, why did it still hurt to breathe? Her right side was in particular pain, and they both frowned.

“Your aura says otherwise,” Starheart said slowly. “Let’s take a look.”

The sun shaman’s hands shook slightly as she unbuttoned her ivory blouse, and they both gasped as her right side came into view. Swaths of red had appeared over her rib cage; they were minor burns, though striking against her pale skin. They stared at the damage in silence for a few moments, attempting to make sense of what had happened.

“As expected, there was no unusual activity on the astral plane,” Starheart said. “The spirits on patrol didn’t see anything, either.”

“I doubt anyone was trying to target me,” Ella agreed. “Hardly anyone knows I’m here, and those that do... Starlight would never betray me.”

“Fräulein Reanka knew.”

“Yes, but she’s dead. I don’t think she would have told, and even if she did, why now?”

_“She couldn’t hold a candle to your devotion.”_

Ella laughed softly at the force behind her spirit’s thought-voice, though she immediately regretted it as a fresh wave of pain washed over her. She cringed, but kept smiling.

“No, but she wasn’t stupid. I believe she kept silent about me for the same reason that I treated her with the utmost courtesy.” At an inquisitive look from Starheart, she added flatly, “Sheer necessity.” She ran her fingers lightly over her side, pondering the efficacy of using a healing spell, then frowned. “My muscles ache, too, and not just here.”

“I wouldn’t have thought it was possible,” Starheart mused, staring at the burns. “Perhaps the pact, when coupled with the empathic link, created a... conduit of sorts.”

The sun shaman nodded pensively.

“My life force is tied to his, so the magic must have... overflowed, in a way, from his soul to mine. Or rather,” she corrected herself, “it targeted the part of his soul that resides in mine. But it must have been very powerful to manage that...” Her voice trailed, and she frowned again. “I’ve never felt so much pain. He must be hurting terribly, but...” she closed her eyes and rested her hand over her heart, “he’s still here.”

Starheart gazed at her in silence for several moments, watching the bright flashes of Lofwyr’s aura that swirled within hers. They didn’t want to consider what would happen were those bright flashes ever to be extinguished.

“You should lie down, mein Liebling,” they said softly.

Ella’s eyes fluttered open, and she smiled.

“Yes. Right again, mein Herz. You’ll have to help me, though.”

She buttoned her blouse, then stood shakily with her spirit’s assistance. Slowly, painfully, they made their way to the bedroom. Starheart unfastened the scale shawl and set it neatly in its chest, then guided Ella to the bed. She slipped off her shoes and settled herself on top of the covers while her spirit disappeared into the bathroom. When they returned, they were holding a small jar and a cool washcloth.

“For your burns,” they said, sitting on the edge of the bed and opening the jar. “Let me see them.”

The sun shaman lifted her blouse dutifully, and Starheart set to work delicately applying a soothing ointment to her side.

“That should ease the pain,” they said when they were finished. “Try not to move too much,” they added as they draped the washcloth over the affected area.

“It feels nice,” she agreed, carefully pulling her blouse back down. “Moving does not. Thank you.”

Her spirit smiled at her, set the jar on the nightstand, and stood to leave.

“I’ll be right back,” Starheart assured her when she started to protest. This time when they returned, they were carrying a chair and her PDA from the other room. “I’m staying here with you in case you need anything,” they said as the placed the chair by the bed.

Ella smiled in appreciation. She thought for a moment, and a faraway expression appeared on her face.

“I think Alamais is dead,” she said, before Starheart could ask. “Or something like it.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.”

Her spirit looked at her quizzically, but it was clear that no explanation would be forthcoming, for she had already closed her eyes.

*

10:15am.

Ella blinked awake at the gentle shaking to see Starheart standing over her.

“You have a message from Starlight,” they said gently. “I thought you would want to see it immediately.”

“She must be all right, then,” she said as they handed her the PDA. “Thank Sun. Oh, it’s a video message.”

She sat up gingerly and angled the PDA so they could both watch, then started the video. She had to suppress a gasp as her elven friend’s face appeared on the screen. Her long white-blonde hair was a light dusty brown, and darker streaks of dirt and what appeared to be blood ran through it. Even now it fell across one side of her face; Ella would never know how she could stand that. A smear of blood ran across her cheek, though it didn’t seem to be hers. She looked exhausted, but there was an almost manic energy in her light grey eyes, and her voice was clear and steady. She was leaning against a nondescript wall, and it sounded like there was a crowd of people out of frame. Ella was relieved to hear that they seemed more cheerful than not.

“Hoi, Sonnendame,” Starlight began with a grin, managing to exude charisma despite being covered in grime. Ella couldn’t help but smile back at the screen, especially at the use of the nickname her friend had bestowed upon her: Lady of the Sun. “You might already know all this, but I thought you’d want to hear from me anyway, so here it is. We’ve won. Alamais is dead, as of about... ten minutes ago. Some runners got the kill, and I won’t say they’re lucky, but damn if that wasn’t the opportunity of a lifetime. Your dearly beloved took a nasty hit, but he’s going to be all right. That’s more than I can say for a lot of people here. There’s been... too much death and destruction.” Starlight paused for a moment, and a frown passed over her pretty features. “But I saved a lot of people, too. I think the Great Mother is pleased with my work. You two owe me another dinner for this.” She flashed another grin, though the haunted look that had come into her eyes made the effect a little unsettling. “Anyway, just wanted to keep you updated. It’s time for me to start packing. Later, chummer!”

The screen went black, then returned to her inbox.

“As many dinners as you like,” Ella said softly to her absent friend.

“Well, good news,” Starheart said, lovingly stroking her hair.

The sun shaman turned to her spirit and smiled, letting herself get lost in their scintillating gold eyes for a time and enjoying the accompanying feeling of weightlessness.

“Yes. A relief. I wish he would have told me himself, but... it’s good to know.”

Starheart ruffled Ella’s hair, earning them a teasingly reproachful look, then took the PDA from her hands.

“Back to sleep for you, mein Liebling.”

“Mm, yes.”

She took a drink of water from the glass on her nightstand, then settled herself back down on the bed with a wince.

“Not too much longer now, I’m sure,” her spirit said reassuringly.

“Let’s hope you continue to be right,” she replied softly before closing her eyes once more.

*

2:30pm.

Starheart’s gaze was drawn toward their mistress as she stirred in her sleep. They prepared to tend to her, but instead of waking, she simply smiled contentedly. A moment later, they felt a familiar sensation, akin to a telepathic knock on their mental door.

_“Yes, Gold-Master?”_

_“How is she?”_

The spirit smiled to themself at the lack of the usual formalities. They looked down at Ella, dozing peacefully, and passed along the mental image.

_“Resting,”_ they said in accompaniment, their thought-voice gentle and loving.

_“She was hurt.”_

Although it was not voiced as a question, it demanded an explanation.

_“Yes, but not badly. She’ll recover quickly.”_

_“Good. I am not prepared to lose her.”_

Starheart was touched by the admission, and was quietly thankful that they did not share an empathic link with the golden wyrm.

_“May I ask what happened?”_

_“Ritual magic—a burst of laser-like light no doubt intended to kill me. Fortunately—and unfortunately for them—they failed, though they succeeded in burning my right side down to the bone. I regret that it caused me to lose control of my connection to Ella. She did not need to experience my... distaste for my brother. But no matter. I shall be back in Essen in an hour and a half.”_

_“Understood. We await your return.”_

Starheart felt the dragon take his leave of their mind, then focused their attention back on their mistress. _“She is very fortunate,”_ they thought. They all were.

*

3:45pm.

“Wake up, mein Liebling.”

Ella woke again to Starheart’s gentle shaking. She stretched carefully, then sat up and smiled at them.

“He’s close now. I can feel it. And the aching is nearly gone.”

Her spirit sat on the edge of the bed and beamed at her, glowing softly golden with the strength of the emotion.

“That’s wonderful to hear,” they said, gently stroking her face. “It’s time to get ready to meet him.”

They gazed lovingly at each other for several moments before Ella extracted the washcloth from under her blouse. Starheart helped her to her stand, though the action caused her to wince.

“Still hurts,” she said, placing a hand over her right side.

“That will take longer to heal,” they said softly.

She nodded, then glanced at herself in the mirror and cringed slightly.

_“You look fine,”_ Starheart mentally admonished.

_“Liar,”_ she thought back, though she smiled.

Ella wandered to the bathroom to refresh herself. When she emerged some time later, she looked decidedly more put together and gave her spirit a self-satisfied smile.

“To the roof?” they asked, holding out an arm for her to hold.

“Of course. Wouldn’t want to keep him waiting,” she said, though it was more accurate that she couldn’t wait herself.

They made their way arm-in-arm to the roof. The air was refreshingly chill, and a slight breeze added to the effect. They kept their gaze to the south and quickly spotted the form of a dragon on the horizon. Ella tightened her hold on Starheart’s arm in anticipation, hardly blinking as her master flew ever closer.

Lofwyr approached the tower at speed, then turned sharply upward as he reached the edge of the roof. He seemed to hover for a moment with his golden wings flared wide before landing surprisingly gently on his hind legs. He had hardly touched the ground before starting his transformation to human form; without breaking his momentum, he strode forward to close the distance between them.

Ella broke away from Starheart and hurried toward him. Her heart was full to bursting, and from the feel of it, so was his. Their eyes locked, and the closer they got, the more her surroundings seemed to fade away. When at last they met, they took hold of each other and stared into each other’s eyes with a desperate intensity as passionate love flowed freely between them. Without speaking, they pulled each other into an embrace so tight as to be painful, but neither of them cared. For the second time that day, Ella was overwhelmed by the strength of Lofwyr’s emotions, but this time she was happily drowning in the sea of his ferocious love. Relief poured out of her, and she found herself trembling from the intensity of it all. Involuntary tears spilled from her eyes in a paroxysm of repressed emotion, and he shifted his hands to cradle her protectively.

_“I am here, mein Schatz.”_

She felt the last of her strength leave her as his low, melodious thought-voice sounded in her mind, putting her at ease. He stroked her back soothingly, and she nestled against him. Her tears stopped soon after, but they continued to hold each other as if they might never get another chance. At length, she extracted herself slightly to look into his yellow-gold eyes, smiling in gratitude and adoration; he returned her smile and gently stroked her face, eliciting a shiver as his pointed nails lightly grazed her cheek. With a pang of concern, she finally noticed that he looked more exhausted than she had ever seen him, though he countered her concern with a pulse of affection and a tender kiss. She melted in his arms, surrendering herself, and kissed him back with a quiet passion. A soft gust of wind ruffled their hair as they lost themselves in their love.

When they had at last had their fill, Lofwyr placed an arm around Ella’s shoulders and led her inside. Starheart stood as they entered and bowed respectfully to the great dragon, who inclined his head slightly in recognition.

“You have my thanks for tending to her,” he said solemnly, as if the spirit had rendered a great and unusual service.

“It was my honor, and a pleasure,” Starheart replied with equal gravitas.

Ella smiled to herself and leaned against her master. She had spent most of the day resting, but now that she was no longer anxiously awaiting his return, she felt suddenly very tired. Lofwyr gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, then directed her to the bedroom. After closing the door behind them, he sighed deeply and let his posture slump slightly, which only served to emphasize his exhaustion. He turned to face her and looked her over, running his hands first over her hair, then down her face to her neck, smiling as his fingers brushed her collar. He pulled her into another hug, though this time he gently cradled her to his chest. She was surprised by the depth of his relief, and she focused her own feelings into a comforting love.

“That was too close,” he said softly without breaking his hold on her.

The sun shaman said nothing but ran a soothing hand along his back. Minutes passed as they simply savored the physical contact. At length Lofwyr leaned back and looked her in the eye; she returned his gaze expectantly.

“We should relax... A bath, perhaps?”

“That sounds lovely,” she said, smiling. “I’ll start the water.”

Ella gave him what she thought would be a quick parting kiss, but he held her close to prevent her from leaving and tasted her unexpectedly deeply. Blushing and a little breathless when they broke apart, she caught the mischievous glint in his yellow eyes and returned his satisfied smile with a grin.

_“Ich liebe dich, mein Herr,”_ she thought to him.

Still looking incredibly smug, Lofwyr simply held her gaze and blinked slowly in response. She laughed softly, then somewhat reluctantly left his embrace to tend to the bath. The bathroom, like the rest of the great dragon’s quarters, was remarkably spacious, and the tub was no exception. She made her way to the corner in which the triangular tub was set, sat neatly on its edge with her ankles crossed, and started running the water. She watched its progress absently, too tired and relieved to think much of anything. When it was nearly finished, her eyes landed on the jar of lavender bath salts, and she added some to the water for further relaxation, letting the calming scent wash over her.

Ella had hardly put the jar down before she heard her master approaching. She turned toward the door, smiling instinctively, and her eyes widened slightly in admiration: he had removed his tunic, shirt, and boots, and the grey hair that fell to his bare chest was clearly tousled. She turned off the water, then stood daintily and padded over to meet him.

“You’re adorable when your hair is a mess,” she said.

Lofwyr’s eyes flashed momentarily, but his mouth twitched into a smile.

“You still enjoy taking advantage of your position,” he observed softly.

“Naturally, mein Herr,” she replied with playful deference. They gazed at each other lovingly for a few moments before she added quietly, “I missed you.”

He took one of her hands and placed it over his heart. Its pulsing rhythm always filled her with wonder, and a soft smile lit up her face.

“You are always here,” he said, his tone once again serious as he carefully emphasized each word. “Do not ever forget that.” The sun shaman nodded, and content that she understood, he continued more lightly, “Now, you have prepared a nice bath for us...”

His voice trailed, and his eyes wandered down to her blouse. Taking the hint, she unbuttoned it and let it slip off her shoulders, only to be met with a wave of sorrow and guilt. His return had done wonders to distract her from her injury, but now that she was reminded of the burns, she once again felt their sting. She looked up at him, and her heart was moved by the anguished expression that met her eyes. It was a rare and poignant display of vulnerability, and she gave him a sad but encouraging smile.

“Mein Schatz,” he said tenderly, his voice breaking slightly with pain.

Lofwyr reached a hand out, hesitated for a moment, then ever so gently rested his fingers against her right side. A white glow emanated from his fingertips and spread across her skin; a few moments later, it had dissipated along with all traces of the burns.

“You were hurt because of our pact,” he said softly.

She placed her hand over his heart again, smiling as she felt the beating force that sustained both of their lives.

“It’s a small price to pay,” she said soothingly, “to be able to spend eternity with you.”

They gazed into each other’s eyes meaningfully for a time. Ella got the impression that he was reevaluating his decisions, but eventually the great dragon gave a slight nod in acceptance of the situation.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, mein Herr,” she reassured him, smiling into his eyes.

Lofwyr returned her smile with a smaller, wearier one, then cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead.

“I am glad. Now, we bathe,” he said simply.

They finished undressing in silence. She partitioned her hair to one side and presented the back of her neck to her master; he deftly removed her collar and set it aside. She didn’t much like being without it, but it wouldn’t be for long. Neither of them needed the physical reminder of their respective positions, but they enjoyed it and found it meaningful all the same.

“After you,” she said cheerfully.

When at last they were settled in the bath, Ella sighed contentedly and leaned against Lofwyr, closing her eyes to savor the sensation. The hot water felt like a soothing embrace for her still-slightly-aching muscles, and the subtle scent of lavender was wonderfully calming. They both appreciated being able to simply relax with each other after the strain of the last few days, and their feelings of enjoyment were reinforced by the other’s until they were blissfully content. They spent most of the time in an embrace of some form or other, but eventually Ella broke away and drifted in a languid stretch. She looked back at Lofwyr from the other side of the bath; seeing that he was watching her with an almost hungry expression, she gave him a wry smile and splashed him gently. He grimaced, and although she laughed softly, she returned to him and kissed him tenderly.

As they tasted each other, she felt a familiar stirring in her master, inciting her own arousal. Without breaking their kiss, he positioned them so that he could drain the water, which started to slowly swirl around them. She shivered and pressed closer to him as her skin became exposed to the air; he held her firmly with one arm and started the shower running with his other. The water washed over them like a gentle rain, and they lost themselves to the passion of their bodies until they shared in a sweet, satisfying release. They washed each other almost reverently, and when they were finished showering, they dried their hair and made other preparations for bed; despite the time, they wanted nothing more than to collapse in each other’s arms.

Once they returned to the bedroom, Ella knelt before Lofwyr in her silk nightdress and presented herself for collaring. He moved to stand behind her and clasped the collar around her neck; she inhaled slightly as it met her skin, feeling its significance and the comfort that came along with it. Returning to her front, he trailed a pointed nail along her jaw and under her chin, lifting her face so that she met his eyes. He smiled down at her with an air of benevolent authority, and she returned his smile with one of adoration. He bid her to stand, then led her to the bed and sat them down on its edge.

“I must tell you,” he began slowly, though he paused to take her hands as a troubled look shadowed her features. “There is no need to worry, mein Schatz. I called an assembly of the great dragons for the day after to-morrow. It will likely be weeks, or perhaps months, before I will be able to return.”

Despite the importance of the event, the news pained her. She stared deeply into the yellow-gold eyes that she loved so well, as if her master might get up and leave her immediately. He gave her a gentle smile, extracted one of his hands to cup her face, and gave her an equally gentle kiss.

“I know it will be difficult for you, considering the timing,” he continued softly. “However, I am not going into danger, so there will not be reason to distance myself from you so thoroughly.”

He smiled at her again and gently stroked her face.

“I’ll manage,” she said, returning his smile with a smaller one.

“I know you will.” His hand trailed down to her shoulder and rested there. “To-morrow morning I shall make arrangements for my absence, and then I shall rest in my true form. You will keep me company?”

His eyes pierced hers, and although she knew it wasn’t really a question, she would never have refused him such a request.

“Of course,” she said, taking his hand from her shoulder and kissing it. “I love being with you, no matter what form you take.”

Lofwyr’s eyes glowed slightly in appreciation. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze, then sighed, reminding Ella of his exhaustion.

“We should rest,” she said softly.

“Yes. I must sleep.” Her eyes widened slightly: the great dragon spent far more time in a trancelike state than he did asleep. She felt a pulse of affection from him as he added, “Your concern is endearing. I am all right, simply... tired.”

The sun shaman nodded and lightly stroked his face, but she quickly decided that wasn’t good enough, took him in her arms, and held him close. Her love for him burned in her heart, and she felt his love blaze through her in response. They held each other in silence, reveling in the comforting warmth of their devotion, until she felt him start to doze. She smiled to herself and cradled him gently.

“I’ll get the lights,” she whispered, startling him awake.

Feeling grateful that she was allowed the privilege of sharing such undignified moments with him, Ella stood and moved to the nearest light switch. She needlessly waited until Lofwyr had settled himself in bed before letting the darkness fall, then joined him under the covers, where they were soon wrapped in a close embrace. The great dragon was almost immediately deep asleep, and inexpressibly content to be curled up with her master, Ella soon followed, lulled by the gentle rhythm of his body.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:
> 
> ich liebe dich: I love you  
> mein Herr: my lord/master  
> mein Herz: my heart  
> meine liebe Herrin: my dear mistress  
> mein Liebling: my darling  
> mein Schatz: my treasure
> 
> I draw Lofwyr over at my dA: [[link]](https://www.deviantart.com/elavoria/gallery/70998969/shadowrun)


End file.
